The Supreme Court Thursday barred Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdallahi and associates of his law firm from making submissions before the court.
The apex court said the lawyer has “relentlessly and unabashedly… scandalized and ridiculed” it.
“Given the foregoing, it is the decision of this Court, that henceforth and from the date of this communication, you shall have no audience before the Court, either by yourself, through an employee of your law firm, or any other person holding brief for you,” the statement read.
The lawyer immediately rebuffed the statement signed by Registrar of Supreme Court Letizia Wachira terming the ban “a badge of honour”.
The top court said whilst the decision is bound to affect litigants who had already sought the senior counsel’s legal services before the Court, “it is untenable that you would seek justice in the very institution and before the very Judges, whose reputation and integrity you never tire in assaulting”.
This is the full statement: “Over the years, you have relentlessly and unabashedly conducted a campaign in
the broadcast, print, and social media aimed at scandalizing, ridiculing, and out-rightly denigrating this Court.
Through social media posts, media interviews, and write-ups, you have accused the Court either in its constitutive persona, or individual membership, of acts of corruption, incompetence, and outright bribery.
This, you have done with reckless abandon, paying scant regard to the reputations of those who tirelessly serve on the Court per their Oath of Office.
Notwithstanding the damage to the reputation of the Court, and the Judges who have served thereon over the years, both in its corporate and individual posture, and to render justice to those you represent, the Court has exercised restraint by not deploying the punitive tools available to it against you.
You will recall that in its ruling in the case of Republic v Ahmad Abdolfadhi Mohammed & Anor, SC Petition No. 39 of 2018, following sustained and unsubstantiated attacks directed by you against the Court, you were cautioned that such conduct would in the future, not go unpunished.
The caution as recorded in the ruling above, appears not to have had any sobering effect upon you.
On the contrary, you have persisted in your unsubstantiated and virulent attacks against the leadership and membership of the Court.
The insensitivity and abusive arrogance you continue to display against the Court in your frequent media postings, cannot be said to be animated by your quest for Justice.
Ironically, even as you persist in your attacks against the Court, you do not see any contradiction in filing cases in the very institution and appearing before the very Judges you daily accuse of corruption and incompetence.
Given the foregoing, it is the decision of this Court, that henceforth and from the date of this Communication, you shall have no audience before the Court, either by yourself, through an employee of your law firm, or any other person holding brief for you, or acting under your instructions.
Much as this decision is bound to affect those who may have instructed you to represent them before the Court, it is untenable that you would seek justice in the very institution and before the very Judges, whose reputation and integrity you never tire of assaulting.
Attached to this Communication is a compilation of some of the statements that you have personally been generating against the Court, its leadership, and its membership over the years.
This compilation shall serve as an authoritative reference point for those who may seek to validate the proportionality or otherwise of the Court’s action against you.”
